Improvement in locomotive head-lights



R. w; LOVE.

Reflector.

V Patented June 7, 1870.

ROG'ER W. LOVE, OF WINDSOR; VERMONT.

Letters Patent No. 103,905, dated Jane 7, 1870.

IMPROVEMBNT IN LOC'OMOTIVE HAZD-LG-HTS.

The Schedule referrer 'co in these Letters Patent and making part of the same.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, ROGERJW, LOVE, of Windsor, in the eounty of Windsor and State of Vermont, have invented a new and usefnl Improvement in Locomotive Head-Lights; and I do hereby declare that the foliowiug is a full, elear, and exact description thereof, reference being had to the'accompanying drawings and to the letters of reference marked thereou as making a, part of this specification, in which- Figure lfshows a side view of the cylindrical box contaiuing the fiame and reflector, the mode of attachment, and the mecbanism by which motion is communieated.

Figure 2 shows a front view of the same devices.

By reason of the short distance illuminated, the head-light now used upon loeomotive steam-engines is of but slight service to prevent accidents upon ralways When these occur from obstruotions -placed or falleu upon the track, or from the misplacement of switches and draws in bridges, or from collisions with carriages at .crossings, or from many other forms of danger to which trains are liable While moving rapidly during the night. A brilliant reflection is produced, illuminating objccts close at hand, butwith insufficient power to expose distant Sources of danger.

In the present inreution, by the form of the cyliudrical box and reflector, the beams of light are coucentrated and guided to such a distauce-as shali allow obstructions to be seen iu time to preventaccident b'y st-opping the train; from seventy-five 'co one hnndred rods is generally suflicient for this purpose. y

By \means of a connecting-rod passing to the caboose, motion may be communicated to the box and refiector, either perpendicularly by a turu oi' the rod, or laterally by a slight backward or forward movemeut'of the same. Thus the engineeris enabled to control the direction of his light, :either to lengtb'en or shorten the'distance illuminated ou the track, or to throw the light across a curve, or outwa rd* upon carriage-roads whenapproaehing a crossing.

A cyiiuder is used as best adapted to 'the plu-pose, the inuer extremity and sides forming the bed for the refleotor, iudicated in the drawing by the dotted line p in the box a.

The use of. the well-known -calcium light, in connection with this iuvention is coutemplated, and can be rendily applied to render more etfective the devices here shown and explained.

HO- A This combination would be of especial service for railway traius which pass along liues of road through new and unsettled districts, or 'Where exposed to 111-, dian depredatious. Long reaches of road could thus be constantly under the notice of the eng'iueer, pre- 'venting accident where accident would be specially deplorable.

My inveution consists in the Construction of the cylindrical box to assist in the con'centratiou of the rays upon any point in advance of the locomotive.

My inyention further consiste iu forming the reflector of a loe'omotive head-light upon the inner extremity and sides of the cylindrical box.

My invention furt-her consists in' the devices t-o change the direetion of the rays 'by communicating motion to the box and refiector.

Attached rigidiy to 'the boiler F is the support l), through which, at e, passes freely the adjusting and Operating lever a.

The box ais hung upon the arm of the rod tl', the lat-ter turning freely iu the pivotal tube d.

A twist motiou being applied to the rod n at' n', the box (o swings upon the hiuged joiut at 3,-de-

scribing, at,its extremity, the aro of' a gircle ju a peg pendicular plainwww.

Apush or draw movemcnt communicated to th'e rod, the box a swings laterally upon the pivotal point in d, deseribing atits extremity 'the aro of a circle in a horizontal plane.

What Iolaim as my invention, and' de'sire. to secure by Letters Patent, is-

The combination of the head-light reflcctor p of a locomotive-engine with the eyiindrical tube a, and mechanism, substantially as described, for Operating such tubeand refiector, in the manner and for the purpose as set forth. y

Also, the combination, substantially as desoribed, for Operating the said tube and reflector p, iu manner and for the purpose specified, such combination consisting 'of the pivotal parts s tl d', the standard b,

and the rod n, 'arranged and applied together and to* the locomotive and 'fire' head-light reflector, as set fort-h.

ROGER W. LOVE.

Witnesses: y

J ONA. B. FARNSWORTH, SAML. R: STOCKER. 

